A Second Story of Emilia King
by Blackfishy
Summary: THE SEQUEL! Emmy and Dodger are once again out late, house breaking, nothing unusual... but what will happen when this particular house has a most unexpected occupant? And when they end up owing him a favour, how far will they go to repay him? DodgerOC
1. A House Break

**Disclaimer - I do not own Oliver! or Oliver Twist :) - if I did, I would have a beard and be called Charles **

**Hello hello!!!!**

**Here we are, the sequel to The Story Of Emilia King**

**How exciting :)**

**Anyway, hope you enjoy this chapter - oh, and I'm going to say it now, updates may take a while, as this story has only just been started... and I haven't finished writing it yet, so give me a chance :)**

**Oh, and one more thing... I don't care what colour Oliver's eyes are in the film. In this, they are blue :D**

**This story is set when Dodger and Emmy are 18 years old. **

**Right, off we go...**

Chapter 1 - A house break...

Dodger crept across the dark wood floor, his heart beating rapidly in his chest. He glanced over his shoulder, to check that Emmy was still there. As he watched, she slipped through the large window, and joined him, standing quite still at the edge of the large hallway. He watched her midnight blue eyes flit over the expensive looking table and chair that hugged the far wall, and onto the staircase, which snaked upwards into the pitch black upper floors.

Emmy's lips tugged into a half smile as she caught him watching, but quickly returned to the slight frown that she always wore while house breaking, her front teeth biting her bottom lip.

Dodger tore his eyes away, and returned to the task in hand, namely finding their way through this house to anything worth anything...

As they slid up the staircase, like two dark shadows, hand in hand, he thought about how this dangerous business of breaking and entering had become far too frequent... The pickpockets had once again fallen on hard times, but no-one else seemed to be putting themselves on the line _this_ often...

Tightening his grip on Emmy's hand, he stepped onto the first landing. Readjusting his top hat with the other hand, he turned to look at her. Thanks to the darkness he could only see a sliver of pale skin and two glittering eyes, lit by a narrow strip of light spilling in through a gap in the plush curtains. The eyes narrowed slightly, indicating that somewhere in the thick darkness, she was smiling. He grinned back nervously, and continued creeping across the landing.

"Where d'you think it is?" she whispered, the sound tickling his ear like a feather,

"No idea... if I'm honest, I don't even 'ave a clue what we're supposed to be lookin' fo-"

"HUSH!" Emmy's interruption cut him off in mid sentence, but instead of being quiet he continued whispering,

"What?"

"I thought I 'eard somethin'..."

Dodger drew closer to her, his hand gripping hers tightly. He could feel her shivering slightly...

"C'mon, let's get somethin' an' go... Emmy we're goin' to get caught if you don't move!"

They shuffled silently into a small room. Emmy peered around herself, trying to see through the darkness. When her eyes eventually adjusted to the dark she had to hold back a groan,

"Dodge, they're repaintin' this room, there ain't nothin' in here!"

"Urgh..."

"Sshh! C'mon, next room..."

They crept back out onto the landing, Emmy's heart beating so fast that she thought it would burst... or at least wake up everyone in the house... Only Dodger's warm presence beside her kept her from running as fast as she could, out of this cavernous, dark house.

But just as she reminded herself that they had never been caught before, a door clicked shut on the floor below. Emmy's heart leapt with fear, her breath catching in her throat, and her hand holding Dodger's in a vice-like grip.

Dodger was the first to recover from the shock,

"HIDE!" he breathed, in as urgent a tone as was possible, "back in the empty room!"

The desperate teenagers slipped across the landing and back into the room they had first entered,

"Dodge..." Emmy said in awful realisation as she looked around the room "There ain't nowhere to 'ide in 'ere..."

And so there wasn't.

Every piece of furniture had been removed for the room being painted. If anyone came through the door, Dodger and Emmy would be completely exposed...

They flattened themselves against the wall in one corner, and waited, listening intently.

Nothing.

For several minutes they stayed there, still as they could manage. And still there was no further noise.

"Dodge, we're goin' to 'ave to chance it... We can't stay 'ere all night" Emmy's voice shook.

"Right..." Dodger breathed in deeply "let's go"

Holding his breath, he eased open the door, put an eye to the crack between the door and the frame... and froze.

Looking back at him, lit by the light of a candle, was a pair of startled blue eyes.

He knew those eyes. They had been imprinted on his memory many years ago, and he had not forgotten.

"Oliver..." Dodger breathed, his own eyes wide with shock

Oliver's face was puzzled for an instant, before a look of realisation glided across his features,

"Dodger?" for a second, Oliver looked as if he was going to smile, but then a dark shadow clouded his eyes, "What are you doing in my house?"

Dodger took a shaky breath, and squeezed Emmy's hand, trying to send her the message to keep quiet behind the door,

"Well, I... I 'ad no idea tha' this was your 'ouse... I" Dodger took a deep breath, and, deciding that Oliver did not seem to be about to call the alarm, spoke clearly "We've fallen on 'ard times again Oliver"

The boy raised his eyebrows,

"So you're breaking into honest people's houses and stealing-"

"Sshh"

"Did you just 'sshh' me in my own house?"

"D'you want all your _servants_ up an' askin' questions?"

Oliver fell into a mutinous silence, his eyes steadily fixed on Dodger's. Dodger quickly spoke again,

"I'm sorr-"

"We're both sorry" Emmy said, emphasising the word 'both' as she interrupted Dodger and emerged from behind the door.

Dodger sighed in exasperation as Oliver's eyebrows shot up into his tufty blond fringe, but neither he nor Oliver got a chance to speak before Emmy launched into a tirade,

"We 'aven't got no money, or food, and no-one will give us any, so we take it, from people 'o can afford it. We don't take nothin' sentimental, just stuff we can sell so as we can ea-"

Dodger cut her off,

"Jus'... don't take us to the bobbies?"

Never had Dodger imagined that one day he would be so afraid of that young, naive boy, but now... this was a young man he was talking to, not a small child. If Oliver said anything, it could be the end of them...

Oliver breathed out in a long sigh,

"Come down to the kitchen"

O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O

The three teenagers were sat around a rough oak table, a candle in the middle, lighting two thin pale faces and one slightly rounder.

"So everything has changed then?" Oliver asked

"Yes... the kids are more cheerful now's Bill's gone an' no-one don't get beaten no more... Fagin's gettin' frail though" Dodger replied, still wary of the young gentleman across the table, and not wanting to say too much.

Dodger couldn't help wondering what Oliver looked like now a good nine years later, as all he could see was flicker of Oliver's features, lit by the guttering candle. But he kept his thoughts to himself, thinking that it would probably be best for both him and Oliver if they never saw each other again...

Oliver too had thoughts racing through his head. What a bizarre coincidence that the Artful Dodger and this girl had decided to break into his house... In a way, Oliver could not help but feel curious as to what Dodger was doing now, how the people who had first looked after him were faring...

"Just go" he said wearily, "I don't want you to get in any trouble. You or..."

"Emmy" Emmy said quickly

"You or Emmy. Just go. And take this" Oliver held out a five pound note, "If it means you won't have to steal for a few days."

Dodger gaped at him,

"You're givin' us money for... for breakin' int-"

Oliver grinned unexpectedly, and thrust the note into Dodger's hand

"Yes, well, go on, I'll show you out"

"D'you want to know which window's broke?"

Oliver fixed Dodger with a despairing gaze

"I'm sure I will find out. Go"

"We owe you Olive-"

The door shut behind them.

O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O--O-O-O-O-O

Emmy breathed out heavily.

"Blimey"

"I know!"

The old sense of relief kicked in as they slunk away from the house, the knowledge that they were getting away sending a dreamy calm to their minds

"So, 'o hexactly _was_that, eh Dodge?" Emmy asked curiously "'Ow on earth d'you know a toff?"

"'E used to live with us"

Emmy raised a black eyebrow,

"With us?"

"Before you came, I'll tell you later,"

They turned into a small alleyway, the safety of the darkness settling around their shoulders

"Why not now?"

Dodger groaned

"Alrigh' alrigh'..."

O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O-O

Distantly, Big Ben chimed, as it hit three o'clock in the morning. Dodger raised a hand to the door and said

"Dodger"

A small boy peered around the door, his matted blond hair falling into sleepy eyes

"You're late" he said unceremoniously, and let them in.

The two stepped into the dark house, and walked straight through to the room that the older pickpockets slept in, the younger ones seemed to have moved themselves into the main room with the decrepit sofa.

"We'll give Fagin the money in the mornin' eh Dodge?" Emmy yawned

"Yeah" Dodger pulled off his coat, so that he stood in his trousers, shirt and waistcoat. Knocking his hat to a jaunty angle he grinned at Emmy,

"What d'you think?"

"Fool" came Emmy's reply, laced with laughter, and slightly muffled (partly by the muggy London summer air, and partly because she was struggling to undo her dress so that she could sleep in her petticoat)

"Lemme 'elp" Dodger started to carefully undo the buttons at the back of Emmy's dress. Shivering at his touch, Emmy grinned,

"That ain't proper, Dodge"

"I've seen you in your petticoat many times" Dodger smirked back, undoing the last button and pushing the dress off her shoulders so that she stood in simply her once-white petticoat.

Emmy turned to face him, putting her face very close to his

"Thank you"

She brushed a butterfly soft kiss over his lips, then pulled away, teasing him

"No you don't" he smirked, slipping his arms around her waist and pulling her back to him

"It ain't proper, remember" Emmy tried to keep herself from laughing

"No-one will know"

Emmy pressed her lips against his once again, smiling against his mouth as he nibbled her bottom lip. As the kisses became more passionate and heated, Emmy broke away, a half smile gracing her lovely face,

"We 'ave to go to bed Dodge, it's late"

"You're evil you are"

"Good night Dodge"

Dodger laughed as Emmy strutted away across the room and collapsed onto her pile of sacks and rugs.

"Night Emmy"

**Well!!! I tell you what, it was weird writing this story again!!**

**But fun )**

**OK, what do you think?**

**No flames please, but other than that D**

**Let me know...**

**I'll update when I have reviews, and when I have had time to write the next chapter!!**

**Love**

**Blackfishy**

**xxxx**


	2. Some Unexpected News

**Disclaimer - I do not own Oliver Twist/Oliver!**

**bandgeekd - thank you! Well, I did have it in me after all :P Oooh, while starting to write this new chapter I just realised that you have started an Oliver story... I must read it at some point (it's madness in this house at the moment) Hope you enjoy this new chapter (and that I keep the standard up, I'm sorry if it doesn't quite live up to Chapter One, but I'm doing my best :D) **

**Charlene Bates - have I ever told you how much you make me laugh? Well if I hadn't, you know now! Your reviews are so motivating :D thank you so much. I really hope you enjoy this chapter :D **

**Broken Amethyst - Hahah thank you, here's an update :P **

**Sir-Not-Appearing-In-This-Show - Thanks for the review:) Hope you enjoy this chapter!****Protego Totalem - Aww thank you, it's fine about the message, the story is still in a VERY early state of construction and so any ideas are still VERY welcome :)**

**Swirling-embers - hey em :) cheers, glad you enjoyed the first story (lol) hope you enjoy this one too... :D**

**I just want to say to everyone who's reviewed this story - You're all AWESOME!!! and i owe you guys a LOT for not getting mad at me for the appalling update rate!**

**So, on with the show!**

Chapter 2 - Some unexpected news...

Several days later, Emmy rolled over, screwing up her face against the pale streaks of sunlight which snaked through the dirty windows of the pickpockets' house. She grinned at Annie, who was just waking up next to her.

"What time did you get in?" Emmy asked sleepily "You weren't 'ere when me an' Dodge got back, an' that was one o'clock"

Annie rubbed her eyes, and shuffled into a sitting position, her blonde waves slightly wild.

"Must 'ave been around four... bloody 'ell..."

"You alrigh'?" Emmy asked, concerned. Annie wasn't normally _this_ rough in the morning. Normally she was alright, but last night's 'customer' seemed to have really messed her up. Emmy was always worried about Annie, but normally the worries hid themselves at the back of her mind. This morning however, they fought their way to the front of her mind, as she took in Annie's pale face, matted hair and the dark shadows under her eyes.

"Yeah, yeah I'm fine. Will you go an' get Beth for me?" Annie said breezily, although her voice was slightly husky. Emmy frowned, but nodded.

"Alrigh', 'ang on a sec"

Emmy ambled across the room, to where a big crate, filled with old blankets, stood in the corner. In the makeshift cot, Beth, Annie's daughter, smiled sleepily up at Emmy.

"'Ello" Emmy said softly, "Come on, let's get up"

She leant down and picked up the small toddler. Beth was very small and slim, despite being one and a half years old now, probably something to do with little food, and a cold house. Emmy smiled at the child, and carried her back across the room to Annie.

"'Ere you go"

"Thanks Emmy"

"You_sure_ you're alright?" Emmy persisted

"_Yes_, clear off!" Annie attempted a smile as Emmy laughed softly and did as she was told. Emmy only paused to pull on her dress over her petticoat. She would get Dodger to do it up...

Oo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oO

She wandered into the other room, wondering where Dodger was, just in time to see him emerge from the bottom of the stairs. He smiled when he saw her, and walked over to her,

"I took Fagin the money, didn' say 'o we ran into though..."

"That was probably a good idea... can you imagine what 'e would 'ave said? "_You TALKED to the owner of the 'ouse?"_" she laughed "Could you do up this dress Dodge?"

Dodger grinned at her, a mischievous glitter in his eyes,

"Of course my lady..."

He started to do up the buttons, carefully running his fingers over her back as he did so. He felt her shiver and carried on, caressing the bare skin at the top of her back, where the petticoat was lower than the dress. Then, having done up the final button, he turned her around and kissed her gently on the lips, wondering how much teasing it would take to make her kiss him properly...

Emmy was a wreck by the time Dodger had finished, her heart beating wildly, and her spine tingling, she waited for him to kiss her the way he had the night before... then he didn't. He just pecked her on the lips, and looked at her. Emmy drew a shuddering breath, and walked away, saying

"We need to go out Dodge, although I do think we're a bit old for pickin' pockets..."

Dodger scowled, she hadn't cracked... Then, the prospect of a whole day in Emmy's company won him over, and he grabbed his hat, and followed her out of the door.

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They strolled down the quiet streets, the early sunlight still fighting its way into the winding maze of alleys and streets. Dodger found Emmy's hand, and they walked in a companionable silence, simply enjoying being with each other.

"It really is startin' to get daft y'know" Emmy sighed "we're eighteen years old... and still pickin' pockets like kids..."

Dodger grunted, not wanting to think about what he would do for the rest of his life. It was a much too frightening thing to think about... The prospect of a cold, daunting world in which he and Emmy would be completely alone. Fagin would definitely not be helping them, once they left the pickpockets' house. But what about their other friends? Dodger's mind spiralled on into the abyss of this awful question.

Emmy squeezed his hand a few steps later, and he shook himself out of his thoughts' grip, although a few squirming questions lay at the back of his mind.

The streets were deserted, only the market stall holders were around, setting up their wares for the day.

The duo sat down on a low wall at the edge of a large square, and continued to talk quietly.

After a couple of minutes they fell into a comfortable silence, Dodger's thumb stroking the smooth back of Emmy's hand. She turned her head a little, and nuzzled into his neck muttering,

"That feels nice"

Dodger smiled and shivered a little at the tingling sensation that she was creating on his neck. When she pulled back, with a half smile curving into existence on her face, he took advantage of the moment, and pressed his lips to hers, revelling in the feel of her. He rested his hand on her waist, and pulled her against him, smiling against her lips.

"I love you"

Emmy mumbled back,

"I love you t-"

Suddenly, the quiet, thick air was shattered by a loud cry

"BUY YOUR PAPERS 'ERE! ONLY A SHILLIN'! BUY YOUR PAPERS 'ERE!"

Dodger felt like screaming with annoyance. Instead, he made a low growl in his throat,

"Not even a soul on the streets and 'e as to make that kind of racket..."

Emmy laughed at his unimpressed expression, although she too regretted the loss of the moment.

"BUY YOUR PAPERS 'ERE! TOFF ARRESTED FOR MURDER CHARGES"

Dodger let out another annoyed 'huff' and got off the wall to walk away from the small boy. As Emmy got up to follow him, the boy let out one last gusty yell,

"MISTER OLIVER TWIST ARRESTED ON MURDER CHARGES, READ ALL ABOU' IT!"

Dodger froze. He turned slowly on the spot, staring at the boy, who had just opened his mouth to yell again. Seeing this much larger boy staring at him, the little paper boy shut his mouth again,

"What you lookin' at?" he asked, nervously adjusting his flat cap,

"You" Dodger replied

The little boy flinched, and moved closer to his trolley of papers

"Why?" he asked, trying to keep up his impressive bravado act,

"That story in the paper... what 'appened?" Dodger asked, his voice shaking slightly. He couldn't believe what he had just heard

"You 'ave to buy one, I ain't tellin' you what it says" the boy said snottily, pushing his long dark fringe out of his eyes, and blinking

"I can't read..." Dodger said, all of a sudden feeling very stupid... his gaze dropped to his feet for a second, before looking back up at the boy, just in time to hear him say

"Well then, you won't know, will you?"

Emmy started forwards,

"Couldn't you at least say where Mister Twist is?"

"Brixton" the boy said, seeming to feel guilty, "Brixton lock up"

"And when was the murder done?" Dodger asked desperately, "Please?"

The boy looked at him with an air of irritating superiority,

"Tuesday mornin', at two o'clock"

Emmy's eyes widened and she pulled Dodger away from the little boy,

"It wasn't 'im" she said, her voice tight with worry

"I know 'e doesn't seem like the type Emmy, but _'ow do we know?_" Dodger said. His throat felt like it had closed up.

"_No_..." Emmy continued "We _know_ it wasn't 'im. We were the only one's with 'im from one til 'alf two that mornin'. There is no way 'e could 'ave killed someone at two o'clock!"

Dodger's eyes snapped to Emmy,

"Oh gawd you're right!"

Emmy nodded once, her blue eyes steely.

"Right, Brixton lock up..." Dodger took Emmy's hand and began to run, careering down the street they had come from. When he reached a narrow alleyway he stopped, and leant against the grimy wall, breathing hard.

"You alrigh' Dodge?" Emmy asked tentatively, stepping close to him

"Yeah... but... we got to 'elp Oliver Emmy..."

"I know... but 'ow?"

"No idea..."

Dodger didn't know why it bothered him so much. He had a whirling torrent of emotions inside him, twisting and eating at his insides. He didn't know why, but he knew that he had to help Oliver. The boy had been his friend, and, only a few days ago, was very kind to him.

"'E 'elped us, now we got to 'elp 'im" Dodger repeated

"Well... the only thing I can think of right now is to go and see 'im..." Emmy said slowly, taking Dodger's hand and pulling him away from the wall, "Let 'im know we're goin' to..." she stopped, looking at Dodger with wide eyes.

He caught on,

"What_are_ we goin' to do? It's probably madness goin' to the jail..."

"Yeah, it's askin' for it a bit innit..."

Dodger let out a short sarcastic laugh,

"Just a little bit..."

Emmy took his hand,

"Let's go and see Nancy"

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As they neared the Whipping Stocks, Dodger began to relax a little, Nancy would know what to do, he was sure of it. He wasn't sure where his implicit trust in Nancy came from, but he was sure that she was worthy of it.

The old inn was a crumbling building of once red brick. There were many grimy wooden supports, spreading like a dirty and broken spider web all over the face of the building, and the door had long ago lost one of its three hinges. However, this inn was a source of comfort to all the pickpockets. It was always warm from the fire that burned in the far corner, and the barman, although grumpy and red faced, was essentially a good man.

Despite all this, Dodger thought, the real reason that all the pickpockets thought of this place as a place of comfort, was the fact that this was where Nancy worked. She, along with the many other prostitutes with their garishly coloured dresses and frills, could always be found here.

So, when Dodger and Emmy burst through the squeaking door, there she was, resplendent in red and purple, leaning against the bar, tendrils of blonde hair falling in her eyes.

"Nancy!" the pair cried, running towards her "You 'ave to 'elp!"

Nancy's face quickly switched from one of happiness, to one etched with worry,

"Why? Wha's 'appened?"

"It's Oliver" Dodger gasped, still out of breath from their wild sprint through the streets.

Nancy's face would have been comical if not for the seriousness of the conversation,

"Oliver?" she breathed "Oliver Twist?"

**Well**

**Personally I downright hate this chapter (ARGH) but it had to be in there, even if it is just a filler sort of thing. **

**I REALLY hope you guys liked it :)**

**Please review and all that to tell me what you think, because I really need to know what you guys think... **

**I'm so glad to have finally got this up, I can't tell you how glad.**

**Right, sorry again for the terrible update rate, if I make you wait this long again next time, I will... I don't know, maybe write a oneshot as well, as a present for you unbelievably wonderful and patient people...!**

**I'm now off to flounder in a pile of paint and tissue paper as I prepare for my art gcse on monday... help**

**Love,**

**Blackfishy**

**xxxx**


	3. A Plan and a Day Out

**Disclaimer – I do not own Oliver Twist**

**Hello hello! **

**I am so sorry about the update rate on this fic so far... i'm so bad... :S  
But I'm doing my best, what with GCSEs and piles of revision ETC. **

**So... reviews...**

**Bandgeekd – Thanks so much :D glad you enjoyed it, and i hope you like this chapter too!! no.. i don't think it was a pun... :P**

**xBangs-McCoyx – oooh yes, Oliver mixed up a murder mess... although he didn't have anything to do with it... who did? (dun dun DUN) Ahem. Yes well anyway, thanks for the review :D hope you enjoy this new chapter **

**swirling-embers – hello em :) thanks for the review chum, here is the ridiculously late chapter :D**

**Charlene Bates – heyhey :D glad you enjoyed the chapter! Thank you SO much for the review, you make me smile so much when you review :) really hope you enjoy this chapter!!**

**Red-Cherry-Flowers – Thank you so much, reviews make my day :D**

**Cedric Cadogan – Thank you so much for the review :) hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**Breeza13 – thankyou so much, hope you enjoy this chapter!!**

**So yes, there are all the 'thankyou's to the FANTASTIC reviewers who i love so much :D**

**Hope you enjoy this chapter :) xx**

Chapter 3 – A plan, and a day out...

When Dodger and Emmy had finished explaining the horrible situation to Nancy, they looked at her, calmly awaiting the pearls of wisdom that were surely about to flow from her mouth... but none came. Nancy sat and stared at them, her eyebrows close together, and her hands clenched in her lap. Eventually she spoke,

"You spoke to Oliver? 'Cause you'd broken into 'is 'ouse?"

Emmy and Dodger looked at each other, then back at Nancy, and nodded,

"And now... now 'e's on trial for murder? An' you know 'e didn't do it?"

"Yeah... that's what we said Nance"

"Oh gawd..." Nancy breathed, putting one hand to her head, "You know what we can't do..."

"What?" Emmy asked,

"Tell Fagin, 'e'd never allow us anywhere near the prisons..." Nancy told them, looking at them seriously.

Emmy and Dodger nodded mutely, wondering what to say. The news had disturbed Nancy rather more than they had expected. Finally, Dodger spoke, fiddling with his top hat,

"So you'll 'elp us try to get 'im out?"

"I will"

Emmy and Dodger stood outside the Whipping Stocks on an upturned barrel. Emmy draped her arms around Dodger's neck and laid her head on his shoulder, sighing and blowing her fringe out of her face.

"'o could 'ave done it?"

"Eh?" Dodger grunted, not really having been listening. Emmy hit him lightly on the arm, and repeated herself,

"I said, 'o could 'ave done it?"

Dodger tilted his head back against the wall so that his top hat slid off his forehead,

"I ain't got a clue... 'ang on! Why ask me eh? Think I 'appen to know lots of murderers?" his eyes twinkled teasingly,

"No, just... trying to think of where the 'ell to start" Emmy replied, looking up as Nancy emerged, now dressed in her 'smart clothes', slightly less gaudy and revealing than her usual attire.

"Come on then," Nancy smiled grimly, "Let's go."

--

Brixton Gaol was a tall building of filthy, once-red, bricks. It's walls held an air of impeding doom, and Dodger felt as if his courage was withering away as he, Emmy and Nancy stepped through the gates.

"'ello there," a policeman, complete with tall hat and impressive handlebar moustache, had appeared next to them, having stepped from the shadows behind the gates, "Can I 'elp you hat all?"

Dodger glanced at Emmy, whose face had drained of colour, and whose eyes were wide. He knew how she felt. He had never been this close to a policeman, or indeed conversed with a policeman. He felt as if he had run into a snake pit... one false move...

Snapping out of his inner nightmare, he realised that the policeman and Nancy were talking,

"-So we saw the story in the paper, and seeing as we are 'is close friends, we wondered if we could come and see 'im?" Nancy finished, wringing her hands and looking imploringly at the policeman, "We wouldn't be long"

The policeman stared down at them for a minute or two, and then gave in,

"A'right, not for long mind, visitors aren't normally hallowed this time'a'day"

"Thank you" Nancy smiled at him in relief as he began to show them the way into the building.

Emmy's hand found Dodger's as they wound their way through dank corridors and barred doors, following the tall hat of the policeman. Eventually, the group stopped at a small door, once again barred.

"Knock when you're finished" the policeman, who had now introduced himself as PC Smith, grunted, shutting the heavy door behind them.

Feeling claustrophobic, Dodger turned slowly to look at the young man crouching on the edge of a hard bunk on the fair side of the tiny cell.

"What are you doing here?"

The husky voice, that pushed its way through the messy blonde locks of his old friend, shocked Dodger. Oliver sounded totally defeated. The optimistic, naïve boy that Dodger had known so long ago was obviously long gone.

"We wanted to... to 'elp..." Dodger automatically looked to Emmy for help, but it was Nancy that spoke next.

"Oliver... we're trying our best to-" she was cut off as Oliver's head jerked upwards to stare at her. The eyes that peered through the shock of blonde hair were wild with a clawing fear, and had dark shadows hanging underneath them,

"Nancy?" he asked, his voice cracking slightly, and the scared teenager that had been crouching underneath a shield of false confidence was finally revealed, "Nancy..."

Nancy quickly strode over to him, gently taking him in her arms, just as she had done when he was a mere child.

"You know, don't you?" Oliver said, his voice taking on a slightly desperate note, "You know I didn't do it?"

"Of _course _we know you didn't!" Dodger exclaimed, "Me 'n' Emmy were with you the 'ole time you're s'posed to 'ave been murderin' someone!"

Oliver coughed a short, bitter laugh as he made eye contact with Dodger.

"Who _do _you think it was then?" Oliver asked, his blue eyes wide.

And to this, Dodger could think of no answer.

--

A very quiet trio left Brixton Gaol some time later. Eventually Nancy broke the silence,

"So, 'ow are we goin' to find 'im then?"

"Eh?" Emmy mumbled

"Who?" Dodger asked,

"The one 'o actually killed the man..." Nancy said, looking at Dodger as if it should have been obvious.

"Oh righ'..." Dodger stared at her,

"Well, there's a lot of people in London..." Emmy looked doubtful

"Then we're goin' to need to start lookin' pretty sharpish" Dodger caught Emmy's eyes and a small smile crept onto her face.

"We'll both go" she said, catching his hand, "We'll find 'im..."

"An' then what?" Dodger asked, suddenly feeling very vulnerable, and not anywhere near his eighteen years.

"Then we'll... we'll 'ave to go back to that place" Emmy gestured to the prison behind them "and get Oliver out" She squeezed Dodger's hand, "C'mon, we'll do everythin' we can to catch the real murd'rer..."

Dodger smiled at Emmy, all his feelings for her bubbling to the surface of his troubled mind, and he pulled her into a tight hug,

"Thank you" he murmured into her black curls.

Nancy stood back and watched the pair of teenagers, her heart feeling a little warmer. Perhaps Oliver did have a chance of getting out of there after all...

**Sorry that not much happened in this chapter and that it was short, but yet again, it was needed for the story to work... :D next chapter... Emmy and Dodger begin their search for the real murderer, and the story properly begins... :P**

**It probably won't be up for a while, because I am now about to start weeks of exams, but i will not give up on this story, so DO NOT LOSE HOPE :D**

**Please**

**R  
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V  
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**

**it really motivates me to write :) knowing that people are reading.**

**Love**

**Blackfishy**

**xx**


	4. An Insight

**Disclaimer – I do not own Oliver! Or Oliver Twist. In case you guys hadn't noticed yet, I'm not Charles Dickens.**

**Hey guys :) I know, I need shooting and brutally murdering for keeping you guys waiting so long. You're all awesome.**

**Reviews...**

**cherrybomb10295 – Thanks so much for the review. I really enjoyed bringing Oliver back into it, glad you like it! Hope you like this chapter :D**

**Red-Cherry-Flowers – Thanks for reviewing! Here's the update :D Hope you enjoy it**

**Breeza13 – I know it was short, sorry :) Hope you like this chapter, I've tried to make it longer, but it's not very long either!**

**Broken Amethyst – Have I ever told you how much I love your name? (I probably have, I have a tendency to repeat myself...) Anyway. Thanks for the review! Hope you like this chapter!**

**Emishi-Princess – Thanks! I know, GCSEs are the bane of my life at the moment. Had maths today... URGH! Haha, yes, I'm trying my hand at murder mystery writing. Agatha Christie eat your heart out... :D lol, kidding. Hope you like this chapter.**

**Doenderlover – Hope you found the original story of Emilia King. If you didn't then you can get to it through my profile :D**

**Charlene Bates – Property of Frodo - :D I've told you so many times how much I love your reviews. But I'll tell you again :D lol. Glad you enjoyed the last chapter, and I hope you love this one!! Thanks :)**

**JoannaDorian – Thanks so much for the review! Hope you like this chapter, you'll have to see who the real murderer is.. it's a secret at the moment :D**

**xBangsMcCoyx – Haha glad you liked it. Aaaah you'll have to wait to find out who the real murderer is though (cackles)**

**OKAY! Without further ado (or any more talking) I give you Chapter Four!!**

Chapter 4 – An Insight...

John 'Ginger' McFarlane stole down the alley. The thick darkness that filled the alley was lit only by the wavering candles that lit the slum houses on either side.

A plume of white breath escaped Ginger's lips, lit by a shaft of guttering light from a dirty window. The night had turned unusually cold for the time of year.

Glancing around, he slunk down the remainder of the alley, and pressed himself against an old wooden door set into the wall. He rapped on the door five times, leaving irregular gaps between the knocks,

"Ginger" he rasped.

There was a long pause, and a clanking of keys, before the door finally opened, revealing a wizened old lady. The woman was small, and very thin, stooping slightly to replace the key in the lock as Ginger stepped through the door, shutting it behind him. Her silver hair was looped back in a bun, and sparkling, beetle black eyes flicked up to look at Ginger from either side of a slightly hooked nose.

"You took your time" she reprimanded, her voice husky and reminiscent of many years of smoking tobacco, "Where've you been anyway?"

Ginger's gaze darted to meet hers, as he contemplated how to answer,

"I'll tell you after I've talked to Chamberson," he said vaguely, following her down the dank corridor, and into a larger room with a stove in the middle.

The old woman fixed him with a piercing glare,

"I don't need to know nothin' that you and that good for nothin' cousin o' yours talk about."

Ginger fought the urge to snap at her, and eventually said

"Alright Mama"

Mama fixed him with another glare, before screeching,

"MATTHEW!"

Ginger winced, and settled himself on a wooden chair, pulling off his boots and top hat, not really listening as Mama continued talking,

"I don't want none of you bligh'ers bringin' a bad name on us"

Ginger snorted with mirth,

"A bad name..."

"And anyway, what the 'ell is that 'at for? You don't normally wear that!"

"I _wanted _to wear it"

Mama looked as if she was about to shout again, but stopped as another man stepped into the room. Older than the teenage Ginger, he looked to be in his mid twenties. Matted brown hair fell into his eyes, and to his shoulders, framing a face with a square jaw, Roman nose, wide, laughing mouth, and grey eyes.

"Ginger" he smiled, sitting down on the chair next to Ginger's, "'ow's the plan goin'?"

They were a strange pair, Ginger McFarlane and Matthew Chamberson, one slim with childlike, innocent features, despite being in his late teens, the other tall and very broad. However, when those two came up with a plan, no-one could stop it.

Mama huffed loudly and flounced out of the room, slamming the door that Matthew Chamberson had just entered through.

"She sounds 'appy" Chamberson said, gesturing over his shoulder at the closed door. Ginger smirked, looking up through his sandy fringe, bright blue eyes laughing silently,

"She don't want us 'bringin' a bad name' on the family" he said, his lips slipping into a smile as Chamberson laughed raucously,

"Yeah, she'd know all abou' tha' eh?"

Ginger smiled ruefully back,

"About the plan... I think it's worked"

* * *

Emmy yawned loudly, stretching like a cat. Dodger watched, amused, from his seat on the sofa,

"Tired?" he asked, exchanging grins with Ace and Charlie, who were sat with him.

Emmy wondered what on earth could be funny about being tired, but decided to ignore them, and turned back to face Annie, a confused expression on her face. Annie laughed,

"Don't worry about it, they're just 'bein' men'. They're probably laughin' about somethin' stupid"

"And disgustin'" Emmy smiled back at her friend.

Annie leant back against the wall, her head tilted back. She sighed, her breath wheezing slightly. Emmy's eyes flicked up to Annie's face. She was concerned about her friend. Annie had been getting increasingly tired over the past few days, and Emmy was sure that something must be wrong. Sensing Emmy's gaze, Annie looked her friend in the eye,

"I'm fine Emmy, believe me"

Emmy nodded half heartedly, sending Annie a half smile.

* * *

The house was quiet. Everyone was now in bed, even the oldest boys.

Emmy turned over, trying not to think about the mission that she and Dodger had set themselves. She sat up, wiping her hand across her sweating forehead. Despite the chill in the air, she felt feverish with worry. She could only imagine what Dodger must be feeling.

A shape moved on the other side of the room. Emmy sucked in a shallow breath, her heart rate quickening. Then the shape spoke,

"Emmy?"

She breathed a sigh of relief,

"Dodge?"

"Yeah, 's'me" Dodger was now close enough for Emmy to make out his face. He sat down on the edge of her 'bed', kissing her softly on the lips,

"Emmy, I can't stop thinkin' about 'im" Dodger said, resting his head on Emmy's shoulder "I feel like... I don't know, like we sort of 'ave a responsibility to get 'im out... 'e 'elped us"

"I know," Emmy said soothingly, trying to feel calm "But we'll get 'im out, don't worry"

"I want to go now"

Emmy's eyes widened, taking a deep breath, "Now? Dodge it's the middle of the night!"

"What better time to find a murderer?" Dodger asked seriously, his eyes looking up at her through the tangle of brown hair that was his fringe.

Emmy stared at him for one long minute, taking a long, slow breath

"Alrigh' Dodge"

Dodger looked at her in surprise

"You'll come? Now?"

Emmy smiled

"Yes I'll come... Now get off me you lump"

Dodger smiled at her, one side of his mouth twitching upwards. He quickly wrapped his arms around her waist, burying his face in her neck

"Thank you" he whispered, and Emmy smiled as those oh so familiar shivers ran down her back.

* * *

Dodger shut the door quietly behind him and found Emmy's hand, taking it in his own,

"Where now?" Emmy asked, white tendrils of breath puffing from her mouth as she looked down the dark street.

"We'll go to Fiddler's Leap first" Dodger said, squeezing Emmy's hand. "If we don't find 'im there then we'll 'ave to look 'arder"

Emmy swallowed hard, feeling a little overwhelmed. Fiddler's Leap was a very run down part of London, not very far from the pickpockets' house. However, the one thing that Fiddler's Leap was mainly known for was the nest of murderers and criminals that plotted, lived, and worked there.

"What d'you reckon people there'll think of us?" she asked Dodger as they walked down the silent alley that led them in the direction of Fiddler's Leap.

"We look just like any of 'em would" Dodger shrugged, he sounded nonchalant but Emmy could feel his palms becoming sweaty and his pulse quickening. "We'll blend righ' in"

The pair continued on their way, not even beginning to realise how big a game they were playing.

* * *

Ginger leant back on his chair, smirking at Chamberson as Mama re-entered the room

"So you two've finished then?" she asked, trying to stay serious, but cracking a smile at the look on Ginger's face. Stoking the stove up, she straightened, and looked at the two young men in the room.

"I'm proud o' you lads" she said eventually, "You were obviously well brought up..."

**Well well well :D**

**I know this is quite short again, but it too much would have happened too quickly if I'd carried on, and I'm having to write this in between exams and revision...**

**Please review! (I know I don't deserve it – appalling upload rate)**

**Thanks so much if you do review, you guys are what keep me motivated through exams and everything!**

**Love**

**Blackfishy**

**xxx**


	5. A Big Game to Play

**Hello guys. I am SO sorry about this, I keep promising that my update rate will get better and then... it doesn't. I'm really sorry.**

**Breeza13 – Thanks for reviewing :D Hope you enjoy this chapter!**

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**Red-Cherry-Flowers – I love your name, it's so pretty :) thanks for the review :D I get my exam results tomorrow... help? Lol. Glad to know you're enjoying the story. Yeah, i wish Charles Dickens had written a sequel for Oliver... but at least we get to think of our own!**

**Charlene Bates – Property of Frodo – YAY i love your reviews :D I tell you every time! Really hope you enjoy this chapter... :D**

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**Joanna Dorian – SUSPENSE INDEED! Haha, i'm glad you liked the story so far, i really hope you like this chapter!!**

**I love all you reviewers, you're amazing!!**

**ANYWAY! Here is the next (and unfortunately long awaited) chapter.**

**Hope you enjoy it.**

Chapter 5 - A Big Game to Play

A pale sun was beginning to rise over the broken and dirty buildings of Fiddler's Leap. Weak beams of sunlight filtered through cracks in windows, and broken hinges in doors. Those same rays of light lit the tired, grey faces of Emmy and Dodger.

"Dodge, we're gonna 'ave to sleep at some point" Emmy pointed out, slurring with tiredness, the bags under her eyes so pronounced that they looked like dark bruises. Dodger held her hand a little tighter, looking around them, searching for somewhere for them to sleep. He knew he was tired, the heaviness in his limbs told him that. However, his brain was still very much awake, spinning with the impossibility of the task that they had set themselves.

"There" he said, not choosing to embellish the sentence, as he pointed towards a wooden door, set in from the street, "Tha' door don't look as if it's been used lately"

Too tired to talk much more, the pair huddled down in the doorway, letting their heads fall onto their knees, and sleep take them.

* * *

Ginger stretched his stiff arms and neck, peering across the dark room to where his cousin lay, snoring loudly, on the floor.

Deciding not to wake Chamberson yet, Ginger slipped out from underneath the thin blanket, and quickly pulled on his boots, shivering in the dark.

He stumbled to the tiny stove, blowing hard into the ashes, and was rewarded with a wave of heat and a small glow.

Encouraged, he blew into the embers again, this time throwing in a log as the flames licked into life. He screwed his face up as smoke billowed into his eyes, and backed away, coughing, from the stove.

The commotion had woken up Chamberson.

"You make that mistake every time" he grinned lazily from his position on the floor. Ginger scowled, blinking furiously in an attempt to clear the ash from his eyes,

"Well at least _I'm _not too lazy to get up an' start the bloody fire..."

Chamberson simply laughed at his young cousin's predicament and shifted himself into a sitting position.

"You goin' out again today?" he asked, choosing not to retaliate. Ginger shifted, his eyes flickering to the top hat, perched on the back of a battered wooden chair,

"Later. Not this mornin'. I 'ave other stuff to take care of this mornin'."

* * *

Emmy woke to the sound of a tuneless bell chiming nine o'clock. She rubbed her tired eyes, feeling a little better for the short sleep she'd had.

"Dodge?"

She peered down at his face, his features innocent in sleep, almost childlike. Despite his eighteen years there was a shadow of boyhood left, something Emmy couldn't have pointed out even if she'd been asked to. Momentarily freed from her worries, she allowed herself a small smile.

Dodger would, most likely, have slept for quite some time, unaware of the tender look he was receiving, if the door hadn't suddenly opened behind Emmy.

She fell backwards into the doorway with a squeak of surprise, Dodger slid to the floor, his eyes flying open the second his head hit the floor,

For once he kept his mouth shut, his eyes travelling to the figure at whose feet Emmy lay. A boy, probably a couple of years younger than himself, gingery blond hair falling in tufts around his face, his blue eyes wide in surprise as he stared at Dodger's face.

"You're the Artful Dodger!" he started, completely ignoring the girl at his feet. He quickly gained control of himself and smoothed out his features, an impassive look spreading across his face. "What are you doin' sleepin' outside our door?"

Dodger's eyebrows knitted together,

"'Ow do _you_ know 'o I am?"

The boy snorted,

"You don't actually think tha' you can be in the business for more'n a decade an' not be recognised?"

Dodger shrugged, scrambling to his feet. The boy continued,

"An' you don't get many dressin' like you neither"

Emmy had finally got her bearings and stood up,

"We were on your step 'cause we needed somewhere to sleep, now let's go Dodge..." she shot him a meaningful glance. Dodger knew exactly what she meant, they had a near impossible search ahead of them.

"Well, don't you need sommat to eat then?" the boy inquired. Emmy stopped walking and looked at Dodger, who replied,

"If it's alrigh' with you. We ain't got money mind"

The boy smiled graciously,

"That's fine"

* * *

He led them into a low ceilinged room with a small stove.

"Sit?" he pointed to a group of rickety chairs in a corner. Dodger and Emmy obligingly sat down,

"Wha's your name?" Emmy asked suddenly, her dark eyes fixed on the boy.

He turned slowly and returned her gaze,

"Ginger. S'all you need to know"

Emmy's eyes narrowed in mistrust. Dodger felt uneasy, and fixed his eyes on Ginger.

"What's your line o' work then?"

Ginger smirked, his lips pulled into a thin line,

"Oh this an' that. You know 'ow it is"

Dodger's feeling of unease tripled. He couldn't put his finger on it, but there was something about this boy that he didn't trust. Well, there was of course the fact that he lived in Fiddler's Leap...

* * *

Ginger kept an easy smile on his face as he conversed with the two pickpockets.

_'Goodie goodies...' _he thought, a twinge of disgust momentarily twitching his lips _'It's a wonder they've lasted this long really...'_

He hitched the smile back into place as it slipped a little. He was having to put a lot of effort into this pretence. Despite his relaxed posture and casual conversation, he was still having trouble covering his surprise at exactly who had managed to walk straight to his front door.

He didn't know who the girl was though. Of course he'd _heard _of her. She was always with the Dodger, always by his side.

Emmy King.

And that was all he knew. It was so frustrating to have her sat in front of him, and to know nothing about her, feel nothing from her except the penetrating glare from her deep blue eyes. They were cold and hard, boring into his own like marbles.

He switched his focus to the Artful Dodger, ignoring the girl who sat, still and quiet, her untrusting gaze burning a hole in the side of his forehead. He had a feeling that this girl could be the cause of some trouble...

"So will you come back an' sleep on our doorstep again?" Ginger asked Dodger. Dodger found it hard to tell whether Ginger was being serious or not

"No..." he wondered what to say, "We'll 'ave moved on then"

Ginger nodded in understanding and stood up in a clear gesture that it was time for Emmy and Dodger to leave. However, as they stood, the other door into the room where they stood opened, and Chamberson strode in. The big man took one look at Dodger and froze, his grey eyes widening in surprise,

"You're..." he paused, "Not usually in this area" he finished, his face unreadable. Dodger had a feeling that that might not have been the original ending to his sentence. He glanced at Ginger, hoping that he might either enlighten them as to who the man was, or let them out.

Ginger did the latter, hurrying them through the door and back out onto the grim streets of Fiddler's Leap.

* * *

"What was _he_ doin' 'ere?" Chamberson growled, the second Ginger re-entered the room.

"'E turned up outside our door, what was I supposed to do?"

Chamberson gave him a look that even Emmy would have quailed under,

"Kicked 'em off the step an' got rid of 'em, not brought 'em in 'ere. 'O's the gel anyway?"

"Emmy King, she's always with 'im."

"Ginger, 'ave you gorn completely soft in the 'ead, or 'ave you cottoned on to what that could mean for us?"

Ginger's lips curled into an impish grin,

"An easy way out?"

Chamberson grinned back,

"I was thinkin' more of an easy way _in_"

* * *

Emmy was not feeling particularly cheerful. Their surreal visit into Ginger's house had left her completely unsettled, there was something about that boy that she didn't understand, and it worried her. She couldn't understand where she'd seen him before.

"'ave we met 'im before Dodge?" she finally burst out, just as they came to the door of a particularly greasy looking tavern. Dodger looked confused,

"No, I ain't met 'im before. Why, 'ave you?"

"I think so... but I don't know where..."

"I'm sure it ain't nothin' weird Emmy, 'e seemed alright"

Emmy huffed to herself for a minute, before accepting Dodger's proffered hand, and slipping inside 'The New Leap'.

"What 'appened to 'The Old Leap' then?" she asked, squeezing Dodger's hand tightly as they passed a man with no eyes, just two dark holes in his head...

Dodger shrugged,

"Probably burnt down, not unusual I s'pose, this place is a crime 'aven..."

"I feel bloody _posh_ compared to this lot" Emmy attempted a joke as she looked around. A smile flickered across Dodger's face, and then disappeared just as quickly.

"This is a losin' battle Em... it could 'ave been anyone in the 'ole of London..." he sat down heavily on a crate. Emmy's heart fluttered at the sight of him looking so unhappy.

"Should we go back?"

His head jerked up to look at her, she continued

"Back to the 'ouse I mean"

And that was the moment that everything started to happen. The other people in the tavern, who until that minute had been muttering among themselves, all seemed to have turned on a couple of men who had just entered.

Dodger barely had time to stand up before he was knocked headlong into a table, the edge biting into his forehead. He was momentarily stunned, and looked around for Emmy, blood seeping down his face. To his horror he couldn't see her anywhere. He clambered onto another table, holding onto a low beam to support himself. Then he saw her, and his throat constricted in fear.

Emmy was almost at the door, a thick arm across her throat, dragging her along. Dodger's eyes helplessly followed the arm, finally locking on the man's face. He took a sharp breath as he recognised him.

He started to fight his way towards the door, jumping off the table and barging past men and women, all still fighting to get at the two men who had created the distraction. He kicked and hit at people in his way, panic seizing him and carrying him towards the door in a whirlwind of desperation.

But he was too late. He had reached the door, panting and ready to fight... but she was gone.

His eyes burned with unshed tears as he leant heavily on the door frame. She couldn't be gone, not that quickly, whisked away from him so easily.

He took a deep shuddering breath and stood up straighter. There was no way he was going to be able to find two people, alone.

He took a step out of the door, his hands checking his top hat as usual. Miraculous that he hadn't lost it...

Taking another step forward, he realised that there was only one place that he could go to, where he could find help.

Home.

**Well?**

**I know this chapter was a little weird, but oh well. **

**Hope you enjoyed it.**

**What will happen next?**

**Who has kidnapped Emmy?**

**Please review!!**

**Love**

**BFxxxx**


	6. Against Orders

**Disclaimer - I do not own anything except Emmy, Ginger, Mama and Chamberson (and anyone who isn't from the book). Hoorah.**

**Right, I know this is highly unlike me :D but i actually had TIME ON MY HANDS!! So i turned my attention to my dear little Emilia King.**

**Seth Clearwater - I've now figured out that you're Protego Totalem (name change confuddled me!) :D hoorah! HAHA Gingerhead? What a name... :P Ah you'll have to wait and see who was to blame for Emmy's kidnap... :D I got my GCSE results yesterday :D VERY exciting, and happy! What exams have you got? No, don't worry, I'm not going to give up on this story, I've just been incredibly busy with holidays, back packing, Duke of Edinburgh etc. Hope you enjoy this chapter! And thanks SO much for reviewing!**

**cherrybomb10295 - Awww! That's so sweet! I'm SO SO SO glad you like this story so much and I really hope you like this chapter!!**

**The two reviews I got for the last chapter made me SO happy :D I love you guys.**

**The plot thickens...**

Chapter 6 - Against Orders

Dodger slammed into a brick wall, the rough surface grazing his palms as he rested, leaning against the wall, his head pounding from running for too long. As his pulse roared in his ears he concentrated on breathing,

_'In, and out...'_

He straightened up, not bothering to wipe the grime from the wall off his hands. He didn't care about that, not now, not when so much was at stake. His breath rasped through his dry lips,

"Emmy..."

He had never felt so helpless in his whole life, and it made him furious. Furious at himself for not getting there in time. Furious at the cruelness of fate. Furious at that man.

He resumed running, his feet pounding on the cobbles, he was almost there.

* * *

Emmy opened her eyes.

Darkness. That was all she saw. A thick darkness, not the tiniest bit of light showing. She raised a hand to her face, trying to check for wounds, but to her surprise her fingers didn't come into contact with skin, but with coarse material.

_'They put a bag over my head?' _she thought incredulously, feeling the knot tying the bag on and struggling with it. Blindness foiled her attempts to undo the knot and she gave up, wondering why this had happened. What did they want with her?

Chewing on her bottom lip, as she always did in times of trouble, Emmy reached out in front of her, finding a wall, and the wood of a door. She leant on the door, a shred of hope daring her to see if it would open. Of course it didn't. Lurching back to the floor, she cursed the whole situation, angry tears creeping from her eyes.

It was at that moment that she heard voices in the next room. _He _was in there. What did _he_ want with her anyway?

Emmy didn't know much about the situation she was in, but she did know one thing.

She hated _him._

* * *

Dodger's breath shuddered through his chest as he knocked on the familiar door, and he managed to conjure the word,

"Dodger"

A curly head peeped around the door and grinned widely before letting him in,

"'Ello Dodge"

Dodger looked distractedly down at the small boy,

"'Lo Tom. D'you know where- It doesn't matter"

He had spotted who he wanted.

It was surreal, walking into this house, where no-one was worried or scared. He gazed around at the pickpockets. Ace was sitting at an ancient table, dealing cards and flirting outrageously with the three girls who he seemed to have brought back. One, a red headed beauty, was sat on his knee, stroking his face and laughing. Charlie was across the table from Ace, rolling his eyes and resisting the temptation to laugh as he caught the eye of one of Ace's harem. Several smaller pickpockets chased each other around the room, leaping over furniture and laughing shrilly.

For a moment Dodger felt as if the whole trip to Fiddler's Leap had been a particularly horrible nightmare.

But if it had been a nightmare then Emmy would be standing by his side.

The lump returned to his throat and he blinked furiously to stem the flow of tears. He hastened over to the table. Ace greeted him exuberantly while Charlie grinned,

"Dodger!!"

They seemed to notice the look on his face simultaneously.

"You alrigh'?" Charlie asked, his face concerned, "Wha's 'appened?"

* * *

Emmy's bottom lip was bleeding. She licked the blood from her lips, unable to use her hands to help.

Curse this bag.

Curse _him_.

She was still sitting next to the door, the voices still a low hum. She caught odd words, sometimes whole sentences if the speaker became agitated.

She concentrated harder, straining to hear.

They were getting angrier, she could hear more and more,

"What the 'ell did you think you were doin'? _Kidnappin' 'er?!_"

"I thought that that was the 'ole idea of followin' 'em!"

"Not to kidnap 'er _now_!"

"'O says that _you're _always right about when to do everythin'?"

"I _told_ you to leave it!"

"Oh! So I'm takin' _orders_ from you now am I?"

"Well if you're incapable of actin' with any sense then maybe you should be!"

Emmy fought the temptation to continue chewing on her mangled bottom lip, and tried to lean closer to the door. The deeper voice, _his_ voice, had become quieter, thick with threat,

"Are you suggestin' that _you_ are more intelligent then me? You little weasel?!"

"No," the other voice was forcibly calm, but Emmy could detect a tremor of doubt... fear... "I was sayin' that you need to learn to wait before actin' on a whim"

Emmy couldn't tell what happened next, all she could hear, on her side of the door, was the side of breaking wood, a yell, and a dull thud.

* * *

Dodger downed the rest of his ale, as Ace and Charlie stared at him in disbelief.

"She got taken?"

"In _Fiddler's Leap_?"

The two pickpockets looked at each other. Dodger could clearly read their expressions.

They didn't think they had a chance.

He slammed his cup down on the table and glared at his friends, his brown eyes narrowing to slits.

"We've got to find 'er. I don't care 'ow we do it, but we've _got_ to"

Charlie's eyebrows twitched, and Ace licked his lips, feeling awkward,

"But what about Oliver?"

Dodger sighed, and dropped his heavy head into his hands, tangling his fingers in the knotted mass of his hair.

"I'm goin' to 'ave to go back. Tell 'im what's 'appened at least..."

Charlie,still silent, made no reply, but his eyes widened at the thought of walking into a gaol without anyone forcing him.

Ace, however, seemed less perturbed. His whole life spent as a smooth talker, he had less reason to worry about being arrested for simply visiting the gaol.

"I'll come Dodge"

Charlie's eyes flew to Ace, his mouth open in shock. Ace acted as if Charlie had looked at him perfectly normally,

"You comin' Charlie?"

And of course, Charlie had to say yes.

* * *

A couple of hours had passed. Dodger had been persuaded by Ace and Charlie that a good night's sleep wouldn't do him any harm, and the police would be less suspicious if Dodger didn't visit in the dead of night.

A thought suddenly crossed his mind,

"Where's Barnsey? And Annie?"

Charlie's face darkened, and Ace took a deep breath, glancing towards the bedroom where the older pickpockets slept.

"She ain't well Dodge..."

Dodger felt the blood drain from his face,

"Not bloody Annie as well..." he groaned. Ace looked at him worriedly,

"She ain't _bad... _but she ain't that good neither"

Dodger dragged his hands down his face, staring blankly at Ace,

"Go on then, spit it out..."

"Well, she's expectin' another baby, but that ain't the problem. She ain't well, not 'ealthy. I don't think Barnsey reckons the baby's gonna live"

Dodger felt like banging his head against the nearest available hard surface. Sick worry clung to every corner of his mind. Emmy, Oliver, Annie... Emmy.

* * *

Emmy listened to the silence on the other side of the door. Her heart pounded in her ears, and her tongue felt enormous in her dry mouth, where the metallic taste of blood still lingered.

She tried to relax, her muscles jumping every time she attempted to slouch against the wall. It was impossible. Her blindness becoming more frustrating than ever, she tugged at the bag again, trying to force it over her head. She winced as she forced the knots to give a little by jamming her chin into the small gap that had been left so she could breathe. She repeated the movement again and again, pulling the bag upwards until it was stuck around her head, stopped by her nose.

Muttering and swearing, Emmy pulled harder on the bag, the coarse material leaving burns on her face.

After ten minutes, the bag slipped, and came off.

Emmy stood up, annoyed to find that she still couldn't see anything, as the room she had found herself in was completely dark. She took a deep breath of pain as she felt the friction burns on her cheeks, but soon forgot about them as she advanced towards the door.

She wasn't sure who had been hurt on the other side of the door.

For all she knew, it could be _him_ who she found at her mercy...

**IS EVERYONE SHOCKED? :P lol.**

**Hope you enjoyed this most recent installation :D (feeling intelligent, i started my A levels a couple of days ago xD.**

**PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE review. **

**Emmy/Dodger will give you a big kiss if you do (which one is up to you :P)**

**Thanks for reading!**

**Until next time. Cheerio, Blackfishyxxx**


	7. Out Cold

**Disclaimer – I do not own Oliver Twist, or Oliver!**

**27****th**** February - RIGHT! Appalling as my update rate is (once again, I am so sorry, you guys are all angels for waiting) I have managed to start a new chapter! (cue cheering). Lol. I'm ill with an ear infection and a blinding headache, so Im sorry if there are any interesting spellings :P.**

**15****th**** May - Had English AS level today, so i was feeling generous and decided to finish this chapter :D (plus i've been wanting to get back on the ball with this story for ages but revision and work has had me locked up) I just ACTUALLY cried (the whole palava, like mascara lines down face, and looking like an upset raccoon) because i just finished the chapter, popped through to the kitchen... and my brother turned the PC off at the wall. So i'm now writing this for the second time today... trying to keep my motivation up! Anyway... I really really hope this is worth all the drama and that you guys enjoy this chapter :)**

**REVIEWERS – I really love you guys, i actually do. You're brilliant and you're what keeps me motivated :D Please continue to review (i know I don't deserve it) It lets me know you're enjoying it! Thank you ALL!**

**Oh! I know I say this a lot, but it's probably a good idea to put this on your Story Alert list, as my updates aren't exactly regular, no matter how hard I try :s. Cheers.**

**On with the show!**

Chapter 7 – Out cold

Dodger stepped out of the pickpocket's house, Charlie and Ace by his side. He felt stronger... and yet at the same time he felt hopeless.

"Brixton lock-up?" Ace inquired, glancing at Dodger.

He nodded once, then paused,

"No... I know someone in Fiddler's Leap... maybe they could 'elp us find Emmy first"

Ace and Charlie made noises of assent, and turned to follow Dodger down the winding alleys that led to the infamous streets of Fiddler's Leap.

* * *

Emmy pressed her ear to the door, listening for the slightest sound of movement. There was none. Breathing heavily, she pushed harder and harder on the wood, but it would not budge.

"Damn..."

She stared at the door, unable to see anything in the dark, except for the slice of light that came through the handle side of the door, where there was a considerable gap between the door and the frame. Across this light, there was one stripe of darkness, the catch that held the door shut.

Emmy tried unsuccessfully to jam her fingers through the gap, but gave up quickly. She felt around on the floor, searching for anything thin and stiff enough to open the door. Then her hands brushed over the coarse bag that she had had over her head. It was worth a try.

Picking up the bag, she fed one, stiff corner through the gap, and gently moved the bag upwards, trying to flip the catch open. She felt it move, and for one bright moment, she thought she had done it.... but then the bag folded. Emmy swore under her breath and chose another corner on the bag, repeating the movement she had just done.

And again.

And again.

And the door eased open.

Emmy couldn't believe her luck, blinking furiously against the bright light, she squinted around the room. Her eyes fell on the slumped figure that lay across one of the chairs in the room. A room that she recognised.

Cautiously, she moved towards the figure, one hand outstretched...

* * *

Dodger was getting more and more worried. Every person he passed, even the smallest unknown pickpocket, was glaring at him. Swearing at him. He couldn't work out what he'd done wrong, why any of these people, who he had never met, should have anything against him.

"Wha's goin' on Dodge?" Ace muttered out of the corner of his mouth, while Charlie mouthed the same question with wide eyes.

"I don't 'ave any idea..." Dodger replied, quailing under the gaze of a particularly old woman, who stared at him piercingly for a second, then hurried away.

"What the 'ell do they think you've done?" Ace pondered aloud, earning a glare from Dodger. As if he needed anything else to worry about.

* * *

Mama slipped, and almost fell, as she rushed down the alley, her breath coming in short bursts. Wisps of silver hair were working their way free from her tight bun, getting in her black eyes and mouth.

But all this was worth it. She had reached her destination. Pushing the door open, she wheezed,

"Matthew? MATTHEW!"

"What?" a gruff voice answered her from behind a pile of crates

"'E's back, Matthew, 'e's back"

* * *

Dodger's back slammed against a wall, the hand at his throat holding him there. The owner of the hand couldn't have been much older that Dodger himself.

"'Ow could you?" he growled at Dodger, "'Ow could you? When for years we've _trusted_ you..."

Dodger tried to speak, his voice little more than a squeak,

"What've I done?"

The man snorted, sneering,

"Don't you deny what you've done you little _weasel_"

Ace tugged at one of the man's arms in an attempt to get him to release Dodger, then decided to try a different tactic,

"What's he done? Eh? We'll 'elp you sort 'im out!"

The man looked at Ace in surprise,

"D'you not know?"

Ace shook his head.

"Alrigh' I'll tell you. It all started a few weeks ago...

_A figure in a top hat, with a bow at his throat, stood on the street corner, his face obscured by the shadow of the hat. But everyone knows that figure. The Artful Dodger. He'd been around for years, stealing and pick pocketing, but then, who didn't thieve in this area?_

_He was ignored as he stood there, quiet, unmoving, watching the children that played in the centre of the tiny, filthy square. Alone? Strange... maybe him and his lady friend had had an argument? Maybe that's why he was so quiet._

_As the shadows lengthened, he did not move._

_And then, as the moon appeared, he was gone. So were three children. Never to return._

...So now? Will you 'elp me give 'im what 'e deserves?" the man asked, still pinning Dodger to the wall. He didn't seem to notice that Dodger was slack jawed with shock. "'E's done other things too, but that was the worst. Takin' children... he just slips in, then slips away..."

Ace was the first to recover from the shock,

"When was this?" he asked, his voice shaking slightly

"Near three days ago"

"But that's the day you went to Brixton lock-up wi' Nancy and Emmy!" Ace blurted out to Dodger, he turned back to the man "Mister, there's no way that that man was the real Dodger, you can ask Nancy, or Emmy, or the men at the Gaol, or... Oliver Twist"

The man stared at Ace,

"Not the _real_ Artful Dodger? Why the 'ell would someone... pretend to be 'im?"

"Hexactly the reason that we are standin' 'ere" Ace replied quickly, "'Cause 'e is hextremely... conspicuous. I'n'e? You can spot 'im a mile off. Like you said before... you couldn' even see 'o the man was that day when the kids were taken... you just saw 'is 'at, and 'is clothes..."

Dodger was slowly turning purple, but managed to get out a wheezy,

"'E's right"

"What?" the man said, loosening his grip a little

Dodger reached up to massage his neck,

"I said, 'e's right. Ace is right. I _was _at Brixton that day. An' 'e's right about the clothes as well"

The man stared at Dodger, then Ace, then back to Dodger. His hand fell from Dodger's throat.

"I believe you... I just want to... 'oever took our kids..."

Ace looked uncomfortable and patted the man on the arm,

"I'm sorry, but we 'ave to go"

The man nodded, his head bowed, as a woman came bustling over,

"John, wha's 'appenin'? You!!" she lunged at Dodger, John caught her arm,

"Lis, it wasn't 'im..." slowly, the couple walked away, the three boys watching their retreating backs.

Dodger's face was dark with anger,

"I don't know 'o is actually doin' all this... but..." he turned and stormed down an alley, his two friends following. Fiddler's Leap was close now. Very close.

* * *

Emmy took a tentative step forwards, keeping her hand out in front of her.

Another step. She blinked furious, willing her clouded eyes to clear.

She observed the prostrate form on the floor. He was lying on his front, his torso resting on the remains of a broken chair,. The shattered pieces of the other chair that had obviously not made it through _his_ rage lay around the boy.

She was close enough to touch his foot with hers.

But she wouldn't. Not yet.

* * *

Chamberson looked up sharply, his grey eyes cold,

"You sure?"

Mama tried to compose herself, her breath rasping in her throat, she spoke again in her rough voice

"Of course I'm sure boy, you questionin' me?"

He strode over, towering over her wizened frame, saying nothing. She looked into his eyes, her beetle eyes narrowing,

"Wha'ever you've done, you'd better not 'ave blackened my name-"

He spoke, and the sarcasm in the words that he spat stung like venom,

"I 'aven't given your _name _a second thought"

Mama shrank back, she couldn't help it, but she kept her black eyes on his grey ones as he backed out of the rented room and ran down the street.

A long breath wheezed out as she leant against the grime stained wall.

Of one thing she was certain.

She no longer knew her grandson.

* * *

Dodger slowed abruptly as he reached the end of the alleyway. He glanced casually at the passing faces. None he recognised.

Charlie and Ace peered out of the alley, over his shoulders. Dodger felt a little like he had an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other...

Ace snickered in his ear. If a snicker could be nervous, this one was,

"Gawd it is rough 'ere innit?"

Charlie shuddered

"_Don't _Ace... Let's jus' find Emmy and get 'ome"

"Shu'up!" Dodger snapped at them. He looked down the street again.

There.

The door.

He strode out onto the street, dragging Ace and Charlie with him,

"_C'mon!_"

* * *

Emmy had her hand on his shoulder.

She sucked a deep breath in through her teeth.. and pushed him over.

Her eyes widened,

"Ginger!?"

* * *

Dodger didn't know what he had been expecting when he burst into the main room in Ginger's house.

He had knocked on the door twice, wondering where his acquaintance was, and why he wasn't answering the door. Growing impatient and worried, he had kicked the door open and stepped into the dark corridor.

Creeping down towards the main room his breathing had quickened, although he wasn't sure why. Something was telling him that all was not well.

Charlie and Ace had followed him like silent shadows. Well, _almost_ silent.

"I still think we should've come in through the window..."

"_Sha_'it Charlie!"

Dodger held up one finger and they fell quiet. Grasping the door handle he threw it open, and gaped at what he saw.

Ginger's unconscious form was splayed across the floor, a wide bruise running across his youthful face, and dried blood on his forehead.

But that wasn't the thing that made him gasp. He started forward.

Emmy.

She was flat against the flat wall, her dark curls limp around her face. A large dark bruise marked her left temple, and blood glistened wetly on her cheeks. Her bottom lip was mangled and bloody, and her muscles were trembling with tension. A whisper escaped her lips,

"Dodge"

She launched herself off the wall and ran into his arms, shuddering and mumbling,

"Thank God you came.."

Dodger's chest was hurting just looking at the wounds on her face so he closed his eyes and kissed her lips quickly. He pulled away, very aware of Ace and Charlie staring at her,

"What 'appened?"

"Well it was 'im weren't it? That man 'o was 'ere, the one we saw just before we left..."

Dodger glowered,

"Yeah, it was 'im"

Emmy continued, biting her lip again,

"He knocked me out" she absent mindedly touched her bruise, "and put a bag over my 'ead. When I woke up, I 'eard 'em 'avin' a hargument in 'ere... The big man, the one 'o took me.. 'e must've knocked _Ginger_ out with a chair..."

They all glanced at Ginger's prone figure.

Ace's eyebrows suddenly flew together, and his eyes darted around the room, finally resting on a moth-eaten top hat, lying in the corner... where it had fallen from Ginger's head.

"Dodge" he said sharply, his eyes flicking between Ginger and the hat, "You and this worm... you match"

Dodger stared at Ginger, and suddenly saw what Ace had noticed. They did match. From the top hats and the grubby white bows under their chins, to the tail coats, even down to the battered buckled boots.

"Takin' _children...._" he questioned, not entirely sure who he was asking.

Ace shrugged,

"Ow come on Dodge... This _can't _be a coincidence... Emmy bein' kidnapped, 'im knowin' the kidnapper, _and_ 'im dressed hexactly like you... it must 'ave been 'im."

Dodger sighed,

"'E '_as_ got a lot to be sorry for.."

* * *

Chamberson barrelled through the wrecked front door and into the main room of the house.

Where he found two broken chairs and an open door.

Oh that girl and her Dodger would pay.

_To be continued...._

_

* * *

_

**SO!**

**What did you think?**

**Please please please review and tell me your opinions, or just scream and shout about something (i don't mind, i'm sociable lol).**

**But yeah, it would be great to know what you think of the story. **

**Hopefully i actually will have another chapter up fairly soon, as i'm on 'study' leave, so I've got some free time :D.**

**Much love,**

**Blackfishy**

**xxx**

**PS – Once again can i just say HOW SORRY I REALLY AM about how long this has taken, it's truly awful, and i feel really bad.... Thank you so much for sticking with this story :)**


	8. Doppelgänger

**Disclaimer - I don't own Oliver Twist or Oliver! :)**

**Hey guys!  
**

**Leigh Miller - thank you! i'm glad you thought it was worth the (very long) wait. I think I can promise NEVER to make you wait that long again :) Hope you enjoy this chapter!**

**Coralyne - Haha yes here's the next update.. just don't kill me... :P lol. Hope you enjoy this chapter and thanks for sticking with the story!**

**Anyone who read and didn't review, I hope you enjoyed the chapter too :)**

**Hope you all enjoyed the last chapter!**

**I was going to hang on for a few days before I posted this chapter... but i couldn't resist :P**

**In this chapter we get a short private audience with Fagin :P lol. **

**Enjoy.**

**On with the show...**

Chapter 8 - Doppelgänger

His hair was in his eyes again.

He blinked, forcing his itching eyes to open.

How long had he been here now? The lack of food and light was deceiving him...

The damp.

The cold.

The smell.

The _dark_.

Heaving a deep breath, he pulled himself up.

He pushed his blond hair out of those dull blue eyes.

Oliver Twist had never felt so completely alone.

* * *

Dodger pushed again,

"Keep walkin'" he snapped.

Ginger glared up at him with his pale blue eyes,

"I'll do what I please-" he stopped as Emmy fixed him with the most withering look that she had ever mustered,

"You'll do what _we _please" she spat. Ginger smirked weakly,

"Calm down.. little _cat_"

He stumbled forwards again, helped by a quick kick from Dodger,

"Wait!" Emmy said suddenly, "Blindfold!"

Charlie looked at her blankly, Emmy sighed,

"We can't 'ave 'im knowin' where we live" she explained.

Ace held out the bag that Emmy had had over her head the previous night. She took it and pulled it over Ginger's head, while Dodger and Charlie held his arms. Once she had tightened the knots, the two boys led him forwards again. He was silent with rage.

Ace looked at Charlie and grinned. Charlie looked suspiciously back at him,

"Wha' you lookin' at?"

Ace smirked,

"Oh nothin'... It's jus'... you're bein' unusually '_elpful... _You know... instead of standin' round like a-"

Dodger couldn't help a laugh escaping his lips as Ace darted out of Charlie's range. Emmy's blue eyes flicked to his, and he smiled broadly at her, allowing himself to forget, just for a minute, that they still had a murderer to find, and an old friend to save.

* * *

Fagin drummed his scrawny fingers on the table, his other hand fiddling with his beard.

Where the _hell_ was everyone?

A couple of days ago Emmy and Dodger had disappeared! Gone off on their own. Pah! How selfish of them! To leave him and the boys...

But when he thought that was bad enough, Ace and Charlie had up and left too.

So selfish.

After all he'd done for them.

He ran his gaze over the piles of pennies in front of him, and the gold watch that Dodger and Emmy had brought him from a house, just a few nights ago.

They were a good team those two... Of course, he still thought Emmy could have earned better money...

He didn't understand what her problem was, who in their right mind would prefer picking pockets to -

But he was getting distracted. He picked up the silk purse that he had put down five minutes earlier, and tipped the contents onto the table, only to accidentally knock them onto the floor at the sound of an roar of sound from downstairs.

What the _hell _were they doing down there?

He stood up slowly and walked over to the stairs, beginning his regal descent.

Oh what the hell, regal descents were too slow, he bounded down the final steps and threw open the door to the main room.

* * *

Dodger would have admitted that it wasn't the _most_ subtle way he'd ever entered a room.

They had burst through the door, shoving the blindfolded Ginger in front of them.

Of course it was just their luck that every pickpocket that lived in the house just happened to be in the main room at that precise minute.

The shouts, greetings and the rumble of boots on the floorboards made a wall of sound as the little boys and girls descended on the bedraggled party at the door.

Dodger grinned at little curly Tom, who was hanging upside down from a low beam,

"Come orn, gerroff!" he said with mock annoyance, trying to steer the very disorientated Ginger through the mass of little pickpockets. Once he had got him into the middle of the room, he grabbed the rope that Emmy had found him, and tied his wrists behind his back. He then tied the other end of the rope to a supporting wooden post - one of four that kept the roof up.

He then took the bag off Ginger's head, and smiled widely at him.

"Stay there would you?" he asked, the grin still firmly in place. Ginger scowled.

And the door to the stairs flew open, Fagin emerging like some sort of insane, scrawny genie, his long green coat billowing around him,

"WHAT THE 'ELL ARE YOU LOT YELLIN' AB-" he froze with his mouth open, as he stared at the collection of older pickpockets, and the boy tied to the post.

"You lot?" he asked no-one in general, then recovered, "Nice to 'ave you _back_ my dears!"

Dodger smirked at him, doffing his hat,

"Fagin"

Fagin looked gleeful, rubbing his bony hands together as he grinned at them "We 'ave missed you"

Emmy held back a knowing smile,

"What, for the 'ole _day _we've been gorn?"

Fagin cackled, his hand automatically rising to his beard as he tried to think of a response.. but then his gaze darted to Ginger.

"But why, my dears, have you brought Oliver Twist back with you?"

* * *

Chamberson had never been so furious in his life. That stupid young cousin of his was missing, presumably taken by a _girl_ and possibly that ridiculous Artful Dodger.

Fool.

He stormed around the room again, his big hands trembling.

He had no idea where they could possibly be. They could be anywhere in the whole of London.

Bloody Ginger and his plans.

Mind, he was still profiting from one of Ginger's plans.

Chamberson suddenly knew where to go. He strode out of the door and down the filthy street. He shoved passers by out of his way, not bothering to stop and look at their faces. Normally a pretty face would have stopped him, a low cut dress. He had never had a problem with women, he was a handsome man. But not today. Today he had no time for any of that nonsense.

He reached The New Leap, and barged inside, ignoring the drunken yells from those he had disturbed. Reaching the bar, he barked at the bartender,

"_Samuel_"

Samuel turned, about to snap back at whoever dared speak to him like that. But he stopped when he saw who it was,

"Ello there Matthew"

Chamberson didn't pause for niceties,

"I 'ave some business to hattend to, _downstairs_"

Samuel didn't bat an eyelid,

"Alrigh', down you go," he gestured to the narrow stairs behind the bar, "God 'elp me if I ever find out what you've got down there"

Chamberson shot him a glare. Samuel knew when to stop asking questions. He slipped behind the bar and made his way down the rickety stairs.

* * *

Dodger looked at Fagin as if he had completely lost it.

"That ain't Oliver!" he exclaimed, glancing at Ginger incredulously.

But then he saw it.

And Emmy said what they were all thinking,

"I knew I'd seen his face before"

It was uncanny, Dodger had never seen a likeness like it. There were obvious differences, Ginger's lips were thinner, his hair more gingery, his eyes paler... But other than that...

Dodger shook his head as he tried to make sense of everything... Had Ginger been impersonating two people? Both him _and_ Oliver?

Emmy fixed her eyes on Ginger, narrowing them, as if she was trying to see who he really was. Then she let out a low hiss through her teeth,

"_Murderer_"

* * *

Chamberson threw the old door open, grimacing at the thought of what Samuel would do if he _knew _what he had down here. But then his thoughts were distracted as he looked around the room.

This plan really _was_ genius.

The children were all quite young, their ages ranging from around five to nine years old. Not old enough to put up a real fight.

They learned quickly too, their little fingers working quickly over the carpets, weaving the thick fibres in and out. The room was so dark that they could hardly see what they were working on, let alone how blistered their fingers were. The darkness hid another thing too. Their sight. The dust from the fibres filled the air, Chamberson's eyes were full of it already, and he'd only been standing in the room for a couple of minutes. He couldn't begin to imagine how the children would react when they realised how their sight had deteriorated, how little they could see.

But it didn't bother him, it wasn't his problem.

His part of this was selling the carpets and getting the money.

If these brats wanted feeding, they had to work hard.

He smiled as he thought to himself.

A genius plan.

* * *

Dodger couldn't believe it. How had he not noticed?

The resemblance was unbelievable.

For the first time, Ginger looked genuinely worried.

"Murderer? Me?" he spluttered after a few minutes of dead silence "Why the 'ell would you think-"

"'Cause we were with Oliver Twist when you set 'im up. We know it weren't 'im"

Ginger was still trying, his pale eyes darting desperately around the room,

"'O's Oliver Twist? I don't know - OW!"

Emmy had slapped him hard across the face, those dark eyes that he _so hated_ burning with disgust

"Don't _lie" _she hissed in his face. He flinched backwards, what was wrong with this girl? Was she half wild or something?

"Get away from me, _whore"_

Emmy froze in her tracks,

"Whore?"

Ginger smiled smugly. He had given up on escape for the moment...

Dodger looked furious and moved towards Ginger, while Fagin sighed quietly behind him,

"No, believe me, I've told 'er the money's better, I 'ave..."

Ignoring his 'benefactor', Dodger looked Ginger straight in the eye

"If you think you're gettin' out of this, you're very wrong"

And once again Ginger's world turned black.

Dodger turned to face the other pickpockets in the room, but one drawn anxious face caught his eye. A figure that had just emerged from the bedroom.

Barnsey.

Dodger had forgotten all about Annie's illness, and he felt yet more guilt settle on his shoulders. Emmy took his hand wordlessly, and together they followed Barnsey back into the pickpockets' bedroom.

Annie was paler than Emmy had ever seen her. Her blond hair was dark with sweat, and the shadows under her eyes were dark purple.

"Annie.." Emmy sat down beside her friend, "'Ow you feelin'?"

Annie's voice was horribly dry,

"Alrigh'"

"No you _ain't_" Emmy's whisper burst from her lips "I'm gettin' Nancy. She always knows what's what"

Emmy stole out of the room, ruffling Dodger's hair on her way past. Smiling grimly at Barnsey, Dodger followed Emmy out of the house and onto the dark, quiet street.

Emmy's lips curled up into a smile, the bottom lip was now a mass of scabs and dried blood, but the top lip was the perfect Cupid's arch that it had always been. He brushed a kiss on her cheek and slipped his hand into hers as they walked towards the Whipping Stocks.

The silence was precious.

Neither of them needed to say anything.

* * *

John and Lis were slowly losing hope. It had been two weeks since the first children had disappeared. Two weeks since they had first seen that shadowy doppelgänger.

How were they to find them?

They could be anywhere in the whole of London.

* * *

It was very late when Nancy arrived with Dodger and Emmy trailing behind her. She had brought broth and a thick blanket, and almost as soon as she entered the room Annie was calmer, and Barnsey visibly relaxed, Dodger imagined, for the first time in days.

* * *

Oliver lay back on the hay mattress.

Hope - that fluttering, feeble flame that had been burning inside him - was dying, was slowly being extinguished. Their faces were fading in his weakened mind.. the faces that had been keeping him strong. Dodger, Nancy, even Emmy. Fading like a memory that he'd had for years rather than days.

And still, he couldn't escape the cold.

* * *

**Hope you enjoyed that! I know this chapter was a little weird and not much happened... but i enjoyed writing it, and I hope that you enjoyed reading it!**

**Please review! (Keep me going!!aren't you proud? two chapters in two days?!) **

**Look at the button... look at it shine :D**

**Reviews make me happy and motivated :)**

**Remember, kisses from Dodger if you do :D**

**Love**

**Blackfishy**

**xxx**


	9. Fighting Him

**Disclaimer - I don't own Oliver Twist or Oliver! :)**

**Hello hello!! I'M ALIVE!!**

**Guys... I'm not sure how I can make excuses for taking this long to update. I've had the world's worst writer's block coupled with swine flu, an ill grandad living with us and needing looking after, choreographing a show, A-levels and the busiest summer ever. I'm so sorry.**

**On a more positive note – HERE'S THE NEXT CHAPTER (WOOHOO) :D**

**Corilyne – Well... Ginger can pretend to be as many people as he wants can't he... :P thanks for reviewing! I hope you enjoy this chapter and that this story was worth the long wait :D**

**.... - Thanks for reviewing! Hope you enjoy this chapter :)**

**Livi101 – Thanks for reviewing :D I'm so glad you like Emmy's tales :) I really hope you like this chapter!**

**Devil's Toenail – No there aren't nearly enough Dodger stories are there? That's why I ended up making my own xD I hope you like this chapter! **

**And thanks to anyone who read and didn't review. Hope you enjoyed it.**

**We're getting to the crux of the story, and I really hope I manage to do this right, this is by far the most adventurous fic I've ever done, so it's my baby... REALLY hope you like this chapter.**

**On with the show...**

Chapter 9 – Fighting Him

A grey dawn crept over the ramshackle buildings of poor London, bringing with it a cold mist that seeped into the pickpockets' house, chilling the bones of the inhabitants. The cold was what woke Emmy that morning, and she slipped out of the bed that she and Annie shared, stretching her stiff limbs.

She turned, rubbing her bleary eyes, to look at Annie. She was sleeping peacefully now, her face a much healthier colour than it had been the night before. Emmy couldn't help breathing a sigh of relief, she had been seriously worried about her friend.

Dodger was sleeping, sprawled across the bed that the boys shared. Emmy bit back a laugh. Charlie had flung his arm to the side in the night, and it had landed across Dodger's eyes. That would result in wrestling when they woke up no doubt. She bent over the crate 'cot' in the corner of the room and grinned down at the sleepily blinking Beth.

For these blissful couple of minutes she was almost able to forget the task they had ahead of them that day. However, upon entering the main room in an attempt to find a biscuit or some bread to give Beth she was unmistakeably reminded by the sight of Ginger's prone form tied to the wooden support.

His pale eyes glared at her, his tufts of sandy hair stiff with blood from Chamberson's attack on him, and another ugly bruise marring his jaw where Dodger had lost his temper the night before. She now couldn't look at him without noticing the bizarre resemblance that he and Oliver shared. She couldn't believe that none of them had noticed before.

"What the 'ell are you gonna do with me now then gel?" he sneered. Emmy turned up her nose and stalked past him to the table, where some stale bread had been abandoned the night before. She ripped off and a piece and was about to turn back to the door when Ginger yelled,

"'Ow are you plannin' on provin' anythin'? They've already got the murderin' toff"

Emmy opened her mouth to retort, but Dodger had already appeared in the door from the bedroom and spoke before Emmy had a chance,

"We know it was you you maggot, so 'ow about you shut up?"

Emmy contented herself with nodding in support of Dodger, feeling less tense as he took her hand. Dodger hadn't finished however,

"And where are the kids?"

Ginger's lips thinned as his jaw tensed,

"I 'aven't a clue what you're talkin' about"

A poker suddenly appeared at Ginger's throat from between Emmy and Dodger, and the teenager recoiled back as far as he could. Fagin growled through his teeth as Emmy and Dodger watched in astonishment,

"I suggest _my dear_, that you co-operate with my two _colleagues _'ere, or it might be rather more painful for you..."

Ginger's face had turned slightly grey and beads of sweat formed on his upper lip,

"Awrigh' awrigh' jus' get that thing away from me"

Fagin slowly withdrew the poker from under Ginger's chin, handed it to Dodger, and retreated to the stairs, disappearing up them with a whirl of his old green coat.

Ginger hung his head, his eyes fixed on the poker in Dodger's hand. His watery blue eyes travelled along Dodger's arm and up to his face. He examined Dodger's brown eyes, faint freckles, a face still slightly rounded from boyhood. Ginger scoffed,

"You're too soft, both of you"

The poker was back at his throat again. Dodger narrowed his eyes,

"You've been dressin' up as me, dirtyin' my name and Emmy's with it. You put a hinnocent man in the lock up, and you been taking children. You h-onestly think I would be soft wiv _you_?"

Ginger had flattened himself against the support beam, as far away from the poker as he could get. His head was at an arrogant tilted angle, but fear was flickering in his eyes. It burnt there slowly, desperation and pessimism feeding it and making it grow and fill his mind. Dodger knew that look, he had glimpsed it in Bill's face all those years ago. Here was a boy who knew his time was almost up.

Ginger's voice shook as his mask of indifference collapsed, and the frightened boy was revealed,

"Go to the New Leap, be'ind the counter, go down the stairs"

Dodger withdrew the poker and let it fall to the floor, licking his dry lips.

Emmy stared at Dodger, nonplussed at their victory.

"Um," gathering her thoughts she turned back to Ginger "You're comin' with us today"

The boy still seemed too stunned to answer her, and merely hung his head, his shoulders slumped, defeat clear in his stance.

Dodger squeezed her hand, today was going to be a hard day.

* * *

The thick air in the carpet workshop was stiflingly warm. The fireplace of the inn was directly above their heads.

A child looked around in the dark, hardly able to see the dim shadows of his friends working. He squinted down at the fibres in his hands. He could barely feel them between his blistered fingers.

He wanted his mother.

In another dark and much colder prison, Oliver was falling deeper and deeper into despair. Emmy and Dodger and Nancy's faces were blurring together in his mind. A mind that had been used to good food and care for many years now.

The depression and hopeless feelings were resurfacing. He could barely remember them, but the damp and cold of the prison cell were all too reminiscent of his work house home so long ago.

For the thousandth time in so many days, he buried his face in his hands, dragging his now scrawny fingers through his matted, filthy hair.

Then a shock shuddered through him as he was surprised by the sound of the bolt of his door being slammed open.

"Twist, out. Now"

* * *

Dodger had put the bag back over Ginger's head. The latter had bitten Dodger's hand more than once while he was attempting this, and Dodger was feeling in a rather worse mood as a result of this.

"Jus' get out the door you rat" he shoved Ginger in front of him as they left the house.

As Emmy followed Dodger out, she was prevented from shutting the door by a battered looking boot. She followed the leg up to see who it belonged to, and found Ace grinning down at her, with Charlie's face peering over his shoulder,

"You didn't seriously fink you could involve us in this an' then leave us be'ind at the hexcitin' bit?" Ace grinned.

Emmy let a corner of her mouth lift slightly and let out a laugh,

"You are... you two are hincorrigable. You know that?"

They nodded like fools, Ace's floppy dark blond hair going everywhere and Charlie's brown curls bobbing. As she laughed, feeling some of the stress that she had been feeling more or less constantly since the incident with Oliver lift from her shoulders, they followed her after Dodger, who seemed to be attempting to make sure that Ginger's skin was as prettily coloured as possible before they got to the gaol.

* * *

"I know this is last minute... Serious crime.... Serious punishment..."

Oliver consciousness drifted in and out of the court room. He kept catching random words, his head feeling heavy on his neck, and his hands shaking. His will to live, his optimism, his health. All had been snatched away in the last few days. He did not even know what the men who were deciding his fate were saying.

Then he heard the sharp rap of a hammer on wood, and a few words penetrated the numbness of his brain,

"The criminal... heinous crime... deported... today"

A searing cold feeling seemed to grip his heart, and he felt himself fall forwards onto the bars of the dock. He clutched the cold steel with clammy hands.

New South Wales was a long way away.

* * *

Ginger was making everything extremely difficult, dragging his feet and ranging as far from Dodger as he could.

Emmy, Ace and Charlie were walking a little behind the violent pair, none of them talking.

Emmy's head was alive with plans. She still wasn't sure what they were going to do, or how they were going to persuade the policemen that Ginger was in fact the culprit. She wasn't sure if any of this was entering Dodger's head through the blind rage he was displaying at that precise moment.

She suddenly felt the urge to run to Dodger and throw her arms around him. To wipe the furious expression from his face and to see the Dodger that she normally knew, rather than the bitter boy that she saw dragging Ginger down the street.

Emmy bit her lip and scuffed her boot on the floor as she walked, lowering her eyes to the floor.

"You alrigh' Emmy?"

She looked up in surprise at Ace as he smiled reassuringly at her,

"Yes Ace I'm just... Tired."

Ace slung his arm over Emmy's skinny shoulders,

"Don't worry Emmy, it's alright now innit? We've got the bastard ain't we?"

"Yeah, but how are we goin' to persuade 'em it was 'im and not Oliver?"

Ace winked down at her and grinned again,

"Wiv a bit of luck, that's 'ow"

Emmy laughed shortly and looked ahead at Dodger, who glanced back at her and smiled quizzically. She shrugged Ace's arm off her shoulders and twisted her hands together,

"I want this all to be over..."

* * *

Samuel, the barman of the New Leap twisted a cloth inside a grimy mug, grunting with the effort as the cloth caught on the rough metal. He slammed the mug back on the counter and looked up to face the man who had just tapped him on the shoulder,

"Can I 'elp you?" he wheezed, glancing over the bedraggled pair of young people who stood before him. One was a young man with thick brown hair and a battered top hat, the other a girl with midnight curls and scabs on her bottom lip,

"Yeah, you can" Dodger lowered his voice to a growl. In any other situation Emmy would have laughed aloud at his attempt to sound intimidating, but she contented herself by standing slightly behind Dodger and smirking in an attempt to look confident.

Dodger continued,

"Ginger sent us... We have business downstairs..."

The barman looked up at Dodger, and narrowed his eyes at the younger man,

"'E always used to tell me never to let anyone down there"

Dodger was momentarily thrown, and glanced to Emmy, his eyes wide and pleading for a lifeline. She stepped forward, leaning on the bar with one elbow and smiling coyly at Samuel,

"We know that, an' you're only doin' what 'e told you. Ginger is a um, a dear _friend _of ours and we're doin' 'im a favour today as 'e is, erm... indisposed..."

Samuel stood still for a moment, his gaze flicking from the girl leaning on the counter to the boy standing behind her. Slowly he began to move towards the gate that would let them behind the bar,

"Well, if you're friends of young Ginger I see no 'arm in-"

He never finished his sentence, as the metal mug he had been polishing moments before had cracked across the back of his head.

* * *

Chamberson stumbled into the New Leap, his brown hair a birds nest, and his lips thin with worry. Ginger had been gone for too long, and Chamberson was worried.

He wasn't worried _for_ Ginger, oh no, he was sure his younger cousin could slime his way out of a tricky situation. He was worried about what Ginger knew, about how involved Ginger was with their plan, about whether whoever was with Ginger now knew everything...

He couldn't risk it.

So he had heaved himself off the straw mattress that he had attempted to sleep on, and staggered out of the dank house. He had practically run down the dark slime laced alleys that connected most of Fiddler's Leap, desperation pushing him on.

Enormous dark eyes watched him from behind barrels, and out of broken windows, as skinny dirty street children watched him run. For in Fiddler's Leap, you are always being watched.

Chamberson gasped for breath, leaning on the door frame of the New Leap, and looking furtively around at the passers by.

A teenage boy with brown curls was leaning against the corner of the public house. He seemed pretty on edge, but that was fairly normal in that area of town. Scowling at the boy, Chamberson slammed open the broken door and entered the pub.

There weren't many people in there, and those who were were old regulars, their faces the texture of old leather, grey wiry beards creeping down their necks, and red noses from the cold and alcohol.

Except two.

Two young ones standing at the bar, a girl and a boy.

A boy wearing a top hat and an old blue coat.

Rage built inside his broad chest as he glared at the young people who were making his life quite so difficult.

He strode forwards, his boots making a dull rhythmic thud, that almost echoed his quickening heart beat. Aware that he was attracting attention to himself, he wasted no time, lifting a metal mug, and glancing a blow off the back of Samuel's head.

The two young people at the gate to the stairs spun around, their eyes wide with shock. The girl was quick though... As soon as she registered his presence she had reached over the gate and flicked open the latch with nimble, grubby fingers. She slipped through the gap, those same fingers tugging on the sleeve of her accomplice.

* * *

Emmy forced herself between the stiff gate and the bar, dragging Dodger with her, her skirts catching on the rough wood. Simply to gain time, she jammed the gate shut again, before turning and flying down the stairs, her boots rattling on the bone dry wood.

He heart pounded roughly in her chest. She had seconds.

Dodger's breath was hot on the back of her neck as she fumbled with the latch on the first door they came to, Chamberson's footsteps loud in her ears.

It wouldn't open. The rusty metal left orange stains on her fingers and got under her short nails, but it wouldn't budge.

Emmy flattened herself against the door, sweat beading on her forehead. She looked to Dodger, his eyes meeting hers quickly. There was nothing to say.

* * *

Charlie slipped back around the corner, having watched Chamberson enter the New Leap.

"'E's in..."

Ace nodded, his hands keeping a tight hold on Ginger, who was now bound and gagged. His pale eyes glaring at the two pickpockets. As hey had had to leave his feet untied so he could walk, Ace was still having to keep hold of the rope.

Charlie twisted his hands together, glancing back around the corner.

"I don't like leavin' 'em in there Ace... What if they're... 'E's big, that man... Emmy's a gel"

Ace attempted an exaggerated roll of his eyes, but he wasn't quite calm enough to pull it off,

"Charlie, do you remember what Emmy did to Dodger that time when 'e said gels weren't as strong as boys?"

"She almost broke 'is arm..."

"Hexactly"

Charlie still didn't look comfortable,

"I think one of us should go in an' check..."

Ace had had enough,

"Alrigh' alrigh', you go in an' check then"

Charlie's face dropped,

"Jus' me?"

"Yeah, jus' you. Someone's got to look after this" Ace gestured vaguely at Ginger, who was now slumped on the ground, exhausted by his many escape attempts.

Charlie took a deep breath.

Then he turned on the heel of his battered old boot, and marched purposefully into the dilapidated public house.

* * *

Emmy backed down the dim corridor, feeling behind her with her hands, Dodger just in front of her. Her breathing was thick in her chest, terror freezing her muscles.

There had to be something here, anything.

He was here now, standing silhouetted at the foot of the stairs. This short passage was not long enough for escape. He couldn't be more than ten paces away.

Finally Emmy's hands brushed on something metal behind her. She was right at the end of the passage now, and there was a small table behind her with assorted rubbish cluttering it's rough surface. She was holding an iron candlestick.

Chamberson's heavy footsteps made her heart jump in her chest. She wanted to show Dodger what she had, but subtlety would be impossible.

She held it there behind her back, sweaty hands slipping on the grainy surface of the metal. There would be a moment.

Ten seconds trickled past. Time itself seemed to slow down to beat in time with the slow thud of Emmy's heart.

Then it happened, a sudden flurry of movement. Chamberson lunged forward, his hands stretching out towards them, his eyes wide and bloodshot, a low growl escaping his throat. Emmy felt her breath catch as she and Dodger ducked and twisted out of the way, scrabbling back up the steps, whirling around once they reached the top, nudging Samuel's prone form out of the way as they waited for the man who was about to emerge from the darkness at the foot of the stairs.

A shout turned their heads for a second, one of the bearded scarecrows at the bar had noticed the strange absence of the barman. And that second was precious.

A heavy hand caught Dodger's head and sent him crashing into the rickety wood of the bar. He felt hot pain as blood oozed from the wound on his temple, and the world blurred. He tried to speak but he had bitten his tongue and the metallic taste of blood filled his mouth.

Emmy almost felt the blow herself as it was delivered to Dodger's head. Gasping, she ran to the gate, desperately trying to lure the man away from where Dodger was sprawled on the floor. She threw herself over the gate, hearing Chamberson's footsteps behind her as if there was no other sound in the world.

She had never felt the same terror. As she ran, her boots thudding on the old floor boards, her skirts catching on people and benches, her head pounded with adrenaline, sweat was forming on her forehead and all sound faded save for those foot falls.

Suddenly a calm realisation slipped into her chaotic mind, spreading its soothing presence over the writhing terror that had been dominating her thoughts.

Emmy turned silently, to face the man charging towards her, met his frantic murderous eyes with her cool blue ones. The cold weight of the candlestick twisted in her hands as she gripped it tightly and raised it. The eyes burning into hers widened with surprise as she brought her weapon down on his skull.

And Matthew Chamberson crumpled at Emilia King's feet.

**Well!! I hope you all enjoyed this chapter - I know it is ridiculous and awful how long I've taken to do this, but I hope it was worth it :) Keep looking out for the next chapter - and please review!! (Reviews are like cookies to me :D) **

**Blackfishyxx  
**


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